Athletic sock



July 7, 1925.

w. s. PRANKARD ATHEETIC SOCK Filed Aug. 13. 1924 5 T It? 7/ Fig.2.

INVENTO R 71/17/12: 5. Hunl'ard ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM S. PRANKARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ATHLETIC SOCK.

Application filed August 13, 1924. Serial No. 731,708.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM S. PRANK- ARD, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at 210 Riverside Drive, in the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in AthleticSocks, of which the following is a specification.

My 'nvention relates generally to wearing appar l, and is moreespecially directed to improvements in foot wear, such, for instance, assocks.

As is well known, athletes and others who engage in games and variousforms of activities which involve more or less constant use of the pedalextremities, find that the foot portions of their socks quickly wearout, so that frequent additions to their supply of foot wear must bemade. As the leg portion of the sock of hose is generally in perfectcondition, it will be obvious that the necessity for discarding socksor,hose after a relatively brief period of use, because of the Worncondition of the foot portions thereof, is an expensive item, and in aneffort to minimize the expense incident to the replacement of the entiresock, socalled half socks or foot portions have been desi ed inconjunction with which indepen ently made leg portions may be used.These half socks or foot portions have generally been unsatisfactory inuse, inasmuch as they involve the employment of a strap, elastic garter,or other means for fastening them about the ankle. Manifestly, fasteningdevices of the character referred to are more or less bulky andcumbersome and have a tendency to cause discomfort to the wearer,especially if a high shoe is worn. On the other hand where a low shoe 15used, the outline of the fastening means is usually accentuated withinthe leg portion which is commonly used in conjunction with articles ofthis kind, so that the appearance is generally unsightly.

In those games where the leg portions of the hosemay be entirelydispensed 'with and in which low shoes are usually worn, the fasteningdevices of .the character above mentioned are of a nature to interferewith the freedom of movemert of 'the muscles of the ankle or instep andfrequently impede the circulation of the blood through the foot, so thatrunners, hurdlers, etc., -forego the advantages flowing from the use ofa sock and rarely resort to any foot covering other than their'low-cutshoes.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a half sock orfoot protector which will overcome the disadvantages of prior articlesof the kind in an efficient and economical manner.

ore specifically, my invention is directed to a half sock or footprotector, adapted to beused with or without a cooperating leg portion,which embodies integrally formed elastic supporting means embracing theankle whereby the half sock or foot protector, when worn, will be causedto closely conform to the configuration of the foot and ankle or instep.

My invention further contemplates a half sock or foot protector whichmay be woven or knitted of any desired material, and which is especiallyuseful in meeting the requirements of those whose foot conditions makeit necessary or desirable to make frequent changes of their foot wear.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will present themselves asthe description proceeds, and I would have it understood that I reserveunto myself all rights to the full range of equivalents, both instructure and uses, to which I may be entitled under my invention in itsbroadest aspect. v

For the purposes of the present disclosure 1 have elected to illustrateand describe a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will beevident that my invention may take other forms, without departing fromthe spirit and scope thereof, as defined by the appended clainn' i Inthe drawings, Figure 1, is a view in elevation showing a half sock orfoot protector made in accordance with my inven tion, as cooperativelyassociated with a leg portion when in use; and I Figure 2 is anenlarged" detail view ofa half sock or foot protector shown in' Figure1., I Referrin now to the drawings in (le tail, in wh ch like charactersof referencc are employed to designate similar parts and elements inboth views, 7 represents the half sock or; foot protector'which ,may bewoven or knittcd. -from ;any suitable material, in accordance withestablished practice, to conform to the the human foot.

It-will be observed that the body portion of the half sock or footprotector is closely wovcn or knitted and is provided with darts generaloutline of 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, whereby it is shaped to fit the footof the wearer. That portion of the sock or foot protector which isadapted to be disposed about the instep or ankle is of a ribbedconstruction, as shown at 14, this ribbed portion merging into orterminating in a band 15, surrounding the top of the half sock or footprotector in which the ribbing is doubled and of a closer weave ortexture than the aforesaid major portion 14. The rib portions 1415 arehighly elastic, and are so positioned upon the improved half sock as togrip snugly around the ankle directly over the instep and slightly abovethe heel of the wearer. This causes the heel portion of the sock to bedrawn upwardly, while the remainder of the sock is drawn rearwardlytoward the ankle, thus insuring a proper and com- 20 fortable fit.

By means of this construction I am able the foot satisfactorily, but onewhich at all times adjusts itself and lies snug around the ankle, so asto avoid all Wrinkles and discomfort to the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLet.- ters Patent is:

A half sock comprising a foot portion, an elastic ribbed knit ankleportion attached to said foot portion, said elastic ribbed knit portionextending from the upper part of the heel portion of the foot memberacross and around the ankle and over the instep of the foot, said ribbedknit portion being highly elastic and tending to draw upwardly upon theheel portion of the sock and rearwardly upon the foot portion thereof.

WILLIAM S. PRANKARD.

